Liechtenstein

The Principality of Liechtenstein is a microstate located within the Alps of Central Europe. The small country shares borders with two other nations: Austria to the east and north and Switzerland to the west and south. The country’s capital is Vaduz and its largest municipality is Schaan. Liechtenstein is one of only two nations that are double landlocked, the other being Uzbekistan. The country is a semi-constitutional monarchy and is headed by the Prince of Liechtenstein. Liechtenstein‘s official language is German and its state religion is Catholicism. As of 2019, the population of Liechtenstein was 38,557 people, with about 24,000 of them being native Liechtensteiners. The nation uses the Swiss franc as its official currency due to their customs and monetary union with Switzerlan.

Liechtenstein was once a part of the Holy Roman Empire as a state and was established when the two historic states, the County of Vaduz and the Lordship of Schellenberg, were acquired by the counts of Hohenems. Ferdinand Karl von Hohenem was deprived of these states and reassigned them to his brother, Jakob Hannibal. In order to pay debts of his brother, Hannibal sold his states to Hans-Adam I, Prince of Liechtenstein. In 1719, Hans-Adam gained the right to form a single state from the Holy Roman Emperor, Charles VI, transforming the two states into the Principality of Liechtenstein. Liechtenstein fought in the Austro-Prussian War on the side of the Austrian Empire against Prussia. After the war, Liechtenstein separated from the German Confederation. Before the end of World War I, Liechtenstein was closely tied with Austria-Hungary; however, the economic devastation that was caused by the war caused the it to more align themselves with Switzerland.